Ah, college. Where students go to receive education toward their desired future career in an environment full of stressful study sessions, new friends, and many, many cups of coffee.
College is also a time where independence is first felt. You're away from parents, your high school self, and really anything else holding you back from re-inventing yourself and doing most whatever you want. For some, this means partying it up on the weekends (or weeknights, if you're feeling particularly confident).
For me, it meant that I could get food, whatever and whenever I wanted.
I'm pretty obsessed with any and all food. I've said before, I'm less of a foodie and more of a traveling garbage disposal, happily eating whatever's offered to me. So, in coming to college, there was a moment when I thought, "Wait. I can...buy food? For myself? For me to eat? Whenever I want to buy food to eat, I can eat food? That I've bought?"
Needless to say, I had quite the collection of food in my college room. Why walk all the way to the dining hall when I can hole up, hermit-style, and eat random food there? Since I know I'm definitely not alone in this sentiment, here are 10 foods that we all had in our dorm rooms.
1. McDonald's fries
McDonald's is, and always will be, a college staple, change my mind. This classic chain offering cheap, delicious, and thoroughly unhealthy food is made even better by the fact that a majority of them are open 24/7.So, when you're pulling an all-nighter or stressing about an assignment at 2am, McDonald's is a perfect place to go for some hot comfort food.
Since this happens about every other day, and it's almost weirdly impossible to eat fries without dropping some on the floor, it makes sense that McDonald's fries are just perpetually kept in your dorm room.
2. Ramen
I don't know what it is about Ramen, but everyone and their mother believes that Ramen is some type of collegiate right-of-passage. Maybe it's because it's a solid 25 cents at Wal-Mart or maybe it's because it's literally just instant noodles that can be used however the mood strikes us college-goers, but everyone's go-to food is a couple packages of chicken-flavored Top Ramen.
Regardless, I've seen so many people just eat them plain and uncooked like chips. It's a weird world, university.
3. Easy Mac
GiphyEasy Mac is much like Ramen in that it's instant noodles conveniently packaged into single servings. The difference, however, is that Easy Mac comes in its own cooking container, while to cook Ramen you have to find that one Tupperware container that your mom gave you three months ago.
Plus, it's mac 'n cheese, so it automatically wins best instant noodle dish.
4. Your basic fruit items
College students don't usually have fruit in their rooms willingly. It's generally because your parents came into town and wanted you to be healthy or maybe you forced yourself to buy some when you were at the store because they could be a good snack item.
When you get back to your room, however, they pale in comparison to chips, cookies, and basically any other snack food that you could have. So, the apples or bananas or oranges end up sitting there for a couple days, getting sadder and sadder until you break, either eating all of them in one sitting or throwing them out.
It's the thought that counts, I suppose.
5. Oreos
Oreos are a gift from heaven, no question about that. They tell you, "Hey, this day may be bad, but here, I'll make it better with my delicious awesomeness."
Additionally, most flavors of Oreos are vegan. So, if that's your sort of jam, you don't get to miss out on the Double-Stuf. For everyone else, you can just enjoy pure happiness in cookie form.
6. Family-size Lays
Lays are what you eat instead of that random fruit. Some flavor is usually on sale, and you can conceivably eat half a bag for lunch.
If you don't get the family-sized bag, though, then you're risking paying more for air than your money's worth.
7. Wal-Mart sugar cookies
To be fair, no one really buys these for themselves. You buy them to bring to some sort of party, and then, when all of them aren't eaten, you "have" to take them home to finish them off.
It's a thankless task, but it has to be done.
8. The biggest bag of cereal in the universe
Cereal is completely wonderful in that it can be eaten at any time at virtually any location at all hunger levels. It's a truly universal food.
While brand name cereals can get kind of pricey, the off-brand bags are cheap and nearly as good as the original. Combine that with the fact that some of the bags weigh as much as a toddler, and you have me sold.
9. Popcorn
Popcorn is another universal food. As long as you have access to a microwave, you're set forever.
10. Some piece of forgotten food item
Whether it's one of those McDonald's fries or a piece of pizza crust, some food is dropped on the floor and forgotten. It misses the cleaning sessions you and your roommates plow through and somehow doesn't smell.
Then, it's finally re-discovered on move-out day. One of your roommates will probably bet you five bucks if you'll eat it, so may the odds ever be in your favor on that one.
Happy eating, and I hope I've given you a shopping list!
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